Mahipal Choubey

Agriculture contributes 17% to India's GDP and employs over 50% of the workforce, with animal husbandry playing a vital role in rural livelihoods. Goats (Capra hircus), known as the "poor man's cow," are crucial to socio-economic development, providing meat, milk, fibre, and skin. Their adaptability to diverse terrains makes them invaluable assets for resource-poor farmers.However, goat farming faces challenges from gastrointestinal parasites like helminths, which impair nutrient absorption, causing weight loss and reduced productivity. Free grazing exposes goats to higher parasite burdens, while overuse of anthelmintic drugs has led to drug resistance, threatening sustainability.Phytochemicals, particularly condensed tannins found in plant leaves, offer a promising alternative. These natural compounds reduce parasite loads, enhance protein bioavailability, and boost antioxidant and immune functions. Utilizing tannin-rich tree leaves in goat diets can transform parasite management, promoting sustainable practices and improving productivity and animal health.

It is imperative that dairy producers optimize growth in order to prepare their animals for productive purposes as soon as possible. More produce in terms of offspring and milk could be obtained from such fast-growing animals. Thus, bypassing technology to improve protein utilization seems like a rational way out for the purposes above. Among all methods, formaldehyde (HCHO) treatment of cake is the most common for nutrient protection of dietary protein. Bypass protein technology is an efficient and comparatively cheaper method for protecting highly degradable protein sources in the rumen. It involves feed management through passive rumen manipulation with an aim of reducing the ruminal degradation of protein. This will allow this nutrient to get digested and absorbed from the lower digestive tract leading to the improved growth performance of dairy buffalo heifers.